Lukas Hermann
Stagetimer
How Stagetimer Grew from a Weekend MVP to $25k/month
Story Summary
Lukas Hermann built Stagetimer to solve a simple but underserved problem in event/AV production: remotely controlled stage timing. He validated in niche Reddit communities, shipped fast using familiar tools, and later aligned pricing to event-based usage with short-term licenses. Growth came from documentation-led SEO, Google ads, and freemium-powered word of mouth.
Decision Points
You will encounter 3 key decisions in this story. Make your choices to see how the founder navigated each situation.
Where do the first users come from?
With a simple timer MVP ready, Lukas must find real users fast.
Context
Generic startup subreddits ban self-promotion; AV professionals congregate in small, obscure subreddits.
How should he validate and gather actionable feedback?
Subscriptions or something else?
After adding paid plans, churn is high despite positive product feedback.
Context
Event pros buy for shows and then cancel until the next production.
What pricing change best matches buyer behavior?
What content should we invest in?
To grow beyond initial Reddit users, Lukas must choose a scalable acquisition channel.
Context
Keyword tools show low volumes; the audience is niche and technical.
Which content strategy best attracts buyers?
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Skill-Stack Iceberg
Frontend + Node development enabled quick MVP shipping; freelance/startup exposure shaped product sense and pragmatism; spouse-led marketing added support, ads, and customer service capacity—all applied directly to Stagetimer.
Professional Experience
Frontend developer
pre-2020not specified
Gave practical experience with web stacks used to ship Stagetimer quickly.
Previous Projects
Prior startup attempt (translation services)
OtherLearned team-risk awareness and to avoid premature process/complexity.
Informed Stagetimer’s keep-it-simple, scope-disciplined approach.
Audience & Distribution
Reddit niche communities
Validated MVP, gathered feature requests, initial users.
Seeded early usage and feedback loops for Stagetimer.
SEO + documentation + integration pages
Published bottom-of-funnel how-to guides and hardware integrations.
Brought high-intent traffic that converted to customers.
Operational Capabilities
Rapid MVP shipping with familiar stack
Shipped first MVP in ~3 days using Vue.js and Node.js; hosted quickly; iterated on feedback.
Compressed time to validation and first users.
Pricing experimentation
Added 10-day one-time licenses after observing high churn from event-based usage.
Reduced churn and matched buyer behavior (show-based purchasing).
Freemium-driven word of mouth
Free tier + shareable links with visible branding spread usage at events.
Consistently fueled organic adoption alongside SEO.
How These Skills Applied to Stagetimer
Niche discovery outside developer tools
Applied: Focused on AV/event production rather than developer audiences.
Impact: Accessed underserved demand with low competition.
Documentation-led SEO
Applied: Hardware/software integration guides targeted bottom-funnel queries.
Impact: Delivered high-intent traffic that converted.
Lean scope discipline
Applied: Kept Stagetimer’s feature set focused to preserve ease-of-use.
Impact: Positive user feedback on simplicity; reduced complexity cost.
Paid search operations
Applied: Deployed Google Search Ads on high-intent niche keywords.
Impact: ROI-positive acquisition with limited competition (context-dependent).
Success Patterns Identified
Key patterns you can apply to your own product
After going through the decisions above, you've now seen 5 key patterns in action. Here's how to apply them to your own product:
Serve an Underserved Niche
PatternTarget non-developer industries where problems are acute and competition/lightweight alternatives are scarce.
Evidence from this story
Stagetimer addressed event/AV timing where existing tools were outdated or absent; early Reddit users confirmed fit and requested features.
Document Integrations for Bottom-Funnel SEO
PatternPublish precise integration guides (e.g., with mixers, Stream Deck, companions) to capture high-intent searches.
Evidence from this story
Integration/how-to pages with detailed steps brought users who converted despite low reported keyword volume.
Align Pricing with Usage Cycles
PatternOffer short-term licenses when customers use the product in bursts tied to events.
Evidence from this story
High churn from monthly plans led to a 10-day license option; many freelancers/productions expense event-specific purchases.
Freemium as Distribution
PatternUse a free tier and shareable, branded links to spread in professional settings.
Evidence from this story
Free tier plus logo/name on shared links drove word-of-mouth and reuse at events.
Ship with Familiar Tools
PatternUse known tech to build an MVP fast, then iterate with real user feedback.
Evidence from this story
Initial MVP shipped in ~3 days using Vue.js/Node; refined via Reddit feedback before monetization.
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Sources & References
Multithreaded Income Episode 34 with Lukas Hermann
Multithreaded Income Episode 34 interview about Stagetimer.
This App Makes $25,000/Month
Deep-dive interview covering pricing, SEO, and growth metrics.
Building a niche SaaS with StageTimer.io Co-Founder Lukas Hermann
Conversation on MVP build, Reddit validation, and freemium growth.
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